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Description:Current issues are now on the Chicago Journals website. Read the latest issue.Published by the North American Benthological Society (NABS), the Journal of the North American Benthological Society (JNABS) publishes articles that promote a further understanding of benthic communities and their role in aquatic ecosystems. In keeping with the current interests of most Society members, emphasis is on freshwater inland habitats. However, papers addressing aspects of estuarine and marine benthic ecology that address common ecological processes and properties are also encouraged. A peer reviewed, widely cited, quarterly journal, JNABS includes original articles concerning research findings, methods for basic and applied science, theoretical discussions and critical appraisals of rapidly developing research areas, perspectives, and book reviews. According to the Science Citation Index, JNABS is ranked among the top journals in the fields of both limnology and ecology.

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Abstract

We investigated nitrogen dynamics over a 15-mo period in the parafluvial zone (the part of the active channel without surface water) of Sycamore Creek, Arizona, a nitrogen-limited Sonoran Desert stream. The parafluvial zone and surface stream are linked hydrologically; thus, nitrogen dynamics in the parafluvial zone potentially influence whole-system functioning. We identified discrete parafluvial flowpaths by following the movement of fluorescent dye through gravel bars over time, sampled subsurface water along these flowpaths, and collected parafluvial sediments for measurement of nitrification rate. Water samples were analyzed for nitrate-N, ammonium-N, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and conductivity. Nitrate-N concentration increased along parafluvial flowpaths, with the largest increases occurring in summer. Although ammonium-N concentration was low and did not vary with season or location on flowpath, dissolved oxygen declined as water moved through parafluvial gravel bars. Net nitrification rate was highest in the summer and at the heads of flowpaths where surface water entered the parafluvial zone, suggesting that nitrification may be dependent upon ammonium, dissolved organic nitrogen, or particulate organic nitrogen imported from the surface stream. Overall, the parafluvial zone of Sycamore Creek was a source of nitrate to the nitrogen-limited surface stream, and may play an important role in the productivity of the stream ecosystem.